The present invention relates to a resistor-film type touch panel capable of inputting information with a finger or pen positioned in front of a display device such as a liquid crystal display device (LCD) for use in an electronic notebook, a personal computer, or the like; or CRT or the like and, particularly, a highly practical touch panel device subjected to a treatment for preventing leakage of a transparent insulating liquid sealed in the touch panel.
As a conventional touch panel, as shown in FIG. 23, the one in which a transparent insulating liquid 95 is sealed in a space obtained by adhering an upper electrode film 91 and a lower electrode body 92 at their edges with an adhesive agent, a double-face adhesive tape 103, or the like so as to suppress reflection of a light made incident from the touch panel observer side and improve the visibility of the liquid crystal screen (see Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 59-98528 and Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 63-281190). It is noted that 93 denotes an upper transparent electrode, 94 denotes a lower transparent electrode, 95 denotes a transparent insulating liquid, 100 denotes a spacer and 103 denotes a double-face adhesive tape.
However, in cases where a touch panel device is used under a severe. environment or the like, the transparent insulating liquid 95 sealed in the touch panel is exuded outside at the portion where the upper electrode film 91 and the lower electrode body 92 of the touch panel are adhered, causing leakage. Also, the transparent insulating liquid 95 leaks from a damaged portion such as a crack or the like when the touch panel is damaged in the cases where too strong pressure is applied when an input is made, the touch panel is dropped or an external pressure is applied to the touch panel.
In the case where such liquid leakage occurs, it becomes difficult to suppress reflection of a light made incident from the touch panel observer side or improve the visibility of the liquid crystal screen. Further, the upper electrode film of the touch panel bends depending on the degree of liquid leakage, thereby making it likely that poor insulation occurs.
Also, since the leaking insulating transparent liquid 95 is put into contact with a constituent member other than the touch panel such as, for example, a circuit board or the like, a failure of the constituent member is caused or the aftertreatment when the damaged touch panel is exchanged, for example, wiping of the transparent insulating liquid 95 or the like becomes difficult.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a touch panel device that does not impair the suppression of reflection by a transparent insulating liquid or the effect of improved visibility, does not cause poor insulation or failures in a circuit board or the like or does not make difficult the aftertreatment when a damaged touch panel is exchanged, by which the above-described issues can be solved.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following constitutions.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device, wherein sides of a touch panel in which a transparent insulating liquid is sealed in a space formed by adhering an upper electrode film and a lower electrode body at edges thereof are entirely covered with and sealed in an outer package which transparently shows or exposes at least an operation area of the touch panel and a periphery of a lower surface of the touch panel is also covered continuously from the sides of the touch panel by the outer package without impeding visibility of at least the operation area on the lower surface of the touch panel.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the first aspect, wherein the outer package is a bag which transparently shows at least the operation area of the touch panel and an opening of the bag is closed to seal an inside of the bag.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the first aspect, wherein the outer package comprises:
an upper film adhered on an upper surface of the touch panel which transparently shows at least the operation area of the upper surface of the touch panel and has an area larger than the upper surface thereof;
a lower support body adhered on a lower surface of the touch panel which transparently shows at least the operation area of the lower surface of the touch panel and has an area larger than the lower surface thereof; and
a sealing material for sealing a groove-like portion formed by edges of the upper film and the lower support body and the end surfaces of the touch panel.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the first aspect, wherein the outer package has an outer package body in a rectangular parallelepiped box shape which houses the touch panel and exposes at least the operation area on an upper surface of the touch panel and transparently shows the operation area on a lower surface of the touch panel; and a sealing material for sealing at least the outside of the operation area on the upper surface of the touch panel to seal an inside of the outer package body housing the touch panel.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the first aspect, wherein the outer package has an outer package body in a rectangular parallelepiped box shape that houses the touch panel and exposes at least the operation areas on an upper surface and the lower surface of the touch panel; and sealing materials for respectively sealing at least outsides of the operation areas on the upper surface and the lower surface of the touch panel to seal an inside of the outer package body housing the touch panel.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the first aspect, wherein the outer package comprises:
an upper film adhered on an upper surface of the touch panel which exposes at least the operation area on the upper surface of the touch panel and is protruded outside from the upper surface thereof;
a lower support body adhered on the lower surface of the touch panel which exposes at least the operation area on the lower surface of the touch panel and is protruded outside from the lower surface thereof; and
a sealing material for sealing a groove-like portion formed by edges of the upper film and the lower support body and end surfaces of the touch panel.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the first aspect, wherein the outer package comprises:
a lower support body adhered on a lower surface of the touch panel which transparently shows at least the operation area on the lower surface of the touch panel and has an area larger than the lower surface thereof and
a sealing material for sealing a recessed portion formed by edges of the lower support body and end surfaces of the touch panel.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the first aspect, wherein the outer package comprises:
a lower support. body adhered on the lower surface of the touch panel which exposes at least the operation area on the lower surface of the touch panel and is protruded outside from the lower surface thereof and
a sealing material for sealing a recessed portion formed by edges of the lower support body and end surfaces of the touch panel.
According to a 10th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to any one of the third to eighth aspects, wherein the sealing material has been subjected to degassing treatment so that voids are not generated by repeated inputs or the like.
According to an 11th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the third aspect, wherein a thickness of the lower support body is 0.025 mmor more.
According to a 12th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to the third or sixth aspect, wherein the upper film has been subjected to low-reflection treatment.
According to a 13th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to any one of the first to 12aspects, wherein spacers with an area concentration of 0.01%-5% and a height of 15 xcexcm or less are provided on a transparent electrode surface of the upper electrode film or the lower electrode body of the touch panel and the insulating transparent liquid has a viscosity of 30 cps or less.
According to a 14th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the insulating transparent liquid has been subjected to degassing treatment so that voids are not generated by repeated inputs or the like.
According to a 15th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to any one of the first to 14th aspects, wherein spacers with an area concentration of 0.01%-5% and height of 15 xcexcm or less are provided on a transparent electrode surface of the upper has a viscosity of 30 cps or less,has been subjected to degassing treatment, and has an index of refraction satisfying the following relational expression             (                                    n            A                    -                      n            B                                                n            A                    +                      n            B                              )        2     less than             (                                    n            A                    -          1                                      n            A                    +          1                    )        2  
where refracting indices of the transparent electrode, the transparent insulating liquid, and air are nA, nB, and 1, respectively, while liquid injecting holes are provided outside the operation area in one surface of the touch panel and in a member covering this surface and the liquid injected holes are sealed.
According to a 16th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein at least one transparent electrode surface of the upper electrode film or the lower electrode body of the touch panel has been subjected to satin finish treatment so as to scatter light to prevent light interference between the transparent electrodes.
According to a 17th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a touch panel device according to any one of the third, sixth, seventh, eighth, and 11th aspects, wherein the lower support body has been subjected to low-reflection treatment.